The brand new iPhone 16e lacks MagSafe, Digicam Management, vibrant colours, and extra. It additionally has a lacking GPU core and a downgraded show with out Dynamic Island, amongst different omissions. If you happen to’re getting an iPhone 16e for your self, it’s worthwhile to know concerning the lacking options.

1

Sub-$500 Pricing

We knew Apple might cost a bit extra for an iPhone SE successor, however stored our fingers crossed for a sub-$500 worth. Nevertheless, the iPhone 16e begins at $599. Whilst you get twice the storage and significantly better {hardware}, that doesn’t change the truth that the most cost effective iPhone in 2025 not prices the identical as when the iPhone SE 3 got here out in 2022.

Apple cunningly discontinued the iPhone SE 3, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Plus fashions. The lineup reshuffling has resulted in a rise within the entry worth of an iPhone expertise by $170! If you happen to compare the iPhone 16e to the iPhone SE 3, you’ll understand that the bottom 128GB iPhone 16e will set you again $120 greater than the equal 128GB iPhone SE 3.

Utilizing the inflation calculator from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the $430 spent on a base 64GB iPhone SE when the machine was launched in March 2022 would translate to about $475 in January 2025 {dollars}.

2

Enjoyable Colour Choices

Comparing the iPhone 16e to the iPhone 16, the brand new Cellphone 16e is available in the identical boring Black and White coloration finishes because the discontinued iPhone SE 3. Distinction this with the Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, Black, and White choices for standard iPhone 16 models!

3

MagSafe and StandBy

The brand new iPhone 16e doesn’t help magnetic charging, one of Apple’s best features and a compelling reason to upgrade your old iPhone. This can be a stunning omission as MagSafe has been current on almost all fashions from the 2020 iPhone 12 lineup onward. You additionally can’t use StandBy, which turns any MagSafe iPhone right into a bedside clock.

In contrast to the previous iPhone SE 3, you possibly can cost your iPhone 16e with Apple’s MagSafe charger, however the handset received’t magnetically snap into place. Additionally, MagSafe-based equipment like SSD enclosures received’t snap on this cellphone.

Compared, the iPhone 15 lineup helps 15W MagSafe charging, and the iPhone 16 fashions (sans the brand new 16e) use even sooner 25W MagSafe charging. The iPhone 16e additionally doesn’t help the most recent Qi2 charging protocol, which is itself based mostly on MagSafe.

4

Six GPU Cores

A GPU core is lacking. Whereas the handset runs the A18 chip just like the common iPhone 16 fashions, it’s a binned model with 4 as an alternative of 5 GPU cores.

Chip binning is a semiconductor manufacturing method the place some lower-performing cores or faulty parts are disabled to repurpose the chip for lower-tier merchandise and maximize yield.

The lacking core means the iPhone 16e doesn’t match the dearer iPhone 16 fashions by way of GPU efficiency. Certainly, Geekbench 6 Steel benchmark outcomes, spotted by MySmartPrice, reveal that the iPhone 16e graphics efficiency is round 15% decrease than the usual iPhone 16 fashions whereas falling slightly short of the iPhone 15 Pros.

5

Dynamic Island As an alternative of the Notch

The 6.1-inch Tremendous Retina XDR show has a notched design as an alternative of the Dynamic Island feature, with a cutout on the prime of the OLED panel accommodating Face ID {hardware}. As a modernized model of the notch, Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped space on the higher facet of the show that reveals numerous system statuses and ongoing activity whereas multitasking.

The iPhone 16e has a display decision of 1170×2532 pixels versus the 1179×2556 display on the usual iPhone 16. That’s 51,084 fewer pixels on the brand new cellphone.

6

The Newest Show Applied sciences

With a typical brightness of 800 nits, the iPhone 16e display is visibly brighter than the iPhone SE 3 (625 nits) but additionally darker than the iPhone 16 (1000 nits). It goes to 1200 nits for HDR video, which nonetheless pales compared with as much as 1600 nits of peak brightness on the common iPhone 16. The iPhone 16e additionally can’t increase the brightness past 1000 nits outdoor, whereas the common iPhone 16 helps 2000 nits of peak brightness beneath direct daylight.

These specs make the iPhone 16e’s show a downgrade. Principally, Apple has outfitted the handset with the identical display because the iPhone 14 collection.

The iPhone 16e can’t decrease display brightness to 1 nit, both. The opposite iPhone 16 fashions help this automated brightness function. 1-nit brightness is helpful for studying in mattress, particularly when paired with the Reduce White Point accessibility setting.

7

The Digicam Management Button

The iPhone 16e lacks a touch-sensitive seize button referred to as Digicam Management, which is discovered on each different mannequin within the iPhone 16 collection. Camera Control lets you rapidly launch a chosen digital camera app from the lock display, use a DSLR-like two-stage shutter within the built-in Digicam app, or invoke the visible intelligence function of Apple Intelligence.

iPhone 16e homeowners can as an alternative bind visible intelligence to the Action button or set off the function by way of a devoted Management Heart widget. Apple has promised to deliver the identical capabilities to the iPhone 15 Execs in a future replace to iOS 18.

8

Apple’s Extremely-Large Digicam

The iPhone 16e is provided with a single-lens rear digital camera boosted from 12MP to 48MP, bringing 4 instances the pixels. Nevertheless, there’s no wide-angle camera like on the opposite iPhone 16 fashions so iPhone 16e homeowners can’t seize vast pictures of outside surroundings or giant teams of individuals, enjoy macro photography , or take spatial photos and videos.

Apple advertises the iPhone 16e digital camera as a “2-in-1” system supporting 2x telephoto functionality. As an alternative of true optical zoom, the middle 12MP of the 48MP sensor is cropped (like on the common iPhone 16) so you possibly can zoom in “with optical high quality.”

9

Sensor-Shift Optical Picture Stabilization

Latest iPhones use sensor-shift optical picture stabilization, which leads to extra exact stabilization as a result of the picture sensor is way lighter than the lens barrel and thus simpler to maneuver round to atone for digital camera shake. Nevertheless, the iPhone 16e makes use of common picture stabilization the place the sensor stays mounted.

10

Cinematic and Motion Taking pictures Modes

The iPhone 16e lacks Cinematic Mode (obtainable because the iPhone 13 household) for taking pictures movies at a shallow depth of discipline. Motion Mode, discovered on the iPhone 14 and later lineups for correcting vital shakes in handheld movies, can also be unsupported.

11

The Newest Portrait Mode

In contrast to the opposite iPhone 16 fashions, the iPhone 16e doesn’t mechanically seize depth information when an individual is detected, even when Portrait Mode isn’t chosen within the Digicam app, so you can not flip an everyday picture right into a depth-of-field portrait after the very fact.

12

The Newest Photographic Kinds

The iPhone 16e has an older model of the Photographic Styles feature as an alternative of the “latest-generation Photographic Kinds” from the opposite iPhone 16 fashions, which supplies better flexibility and extra customization choices.

13

The Newest-Era Ceramic Protect

The brand new iPhone 16e makes use of an older model of Apple’s Ceramic Glass. The fabric is much less sturdy than the “latest-generation Ceramic Protect entrance” featured on the common iPhone 16. If you are going to shield your iPhone 16e with a sturdy case, you will not miss not having the most recent Ceramic Protect on the cellphone.

14

Quick Qi2 Wi-fi Charging

The iPhone 16e helps standard Qi wireless charging, however it’s a moderately gradual 7.5W model like on the iPhone SE 3. To take advantage of fast-charging, you’ll wish to plug your iPhone 16e right into a 20W or increased USB PD energy adapter by way of a USB-C cable. The 7.5W Qi charging might solely be appropriate to prime up the battery rapidly. For longer charging classes, wi-fi charging is inefficient as a result of half the power is misplaced to warmth.

15

Extremely-Quick Downloads by way of 5G mmWave

C1, Apple’s customized modem that debuted with the iPhone 16e, helps the sub-6 GHz band however not the sooner millimeter wave band able to overcoming congestion-related slowdowns in giant group settings comparable to live shows, sporting occasions, airports, and the like. This may increasingly solely matter to individuals who stay close to congested areas. Needless to say the 5G mmWave protection remains to be spotty, and plenty of worldwide carriers have but to roll it out.

16

Wi-Fi 7 or Even Wi-Fi 6E

The iPhone 6e makes use of the older Wi-Fi 6 protocol as an alternative of the improved Wi-Fi 6E standard supported by the iPhone 15 Execs or the most recent Wi-Fi 7 specification within the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands supported by all iPhone 16 fashions. It’s not a biggie as a result of Wi-Fi 7 is dear and comparatively restricted for now; it’s worthwhile to upgrade to a Wi-Fi 7 router in an effort to benefit from Wi-Fi 7 perks comparable to improved community efficiency, latency, and reliability.

17

Thread Networking for Higher Good Houses

In contrast to latest fashions, the iPhone 16e lacks built-in Thread radios for wireless mesh networking. You received’t have the ability to use the cellphone to regulate your good house home equipment like good bulbs and switches and not using a house bridge like a HomePod, an iPad, or an Apple TV. If you do not have Thread-compatible good house units, you will not miss this function.

18

Extremely-Wideband Help for Precision Discovering

Apple’s devoted chip for ultra-wideband networking, referred to as U1, is notably absent from the iPhone 16e. Due to this fact, you received’t have the ability to use your iPhone 16e to navigate to a lacking AirTag with the Discover My app’s Precision Finding feature or get pleasure from different proximity-based options like automated sensing when an iPhone is inside the vary of your HomePod.

The U1 chip is present in all iPhones from the iPhone 11 household onward, and within the HomePod mini. Per Apple’s support page, ultra-wideband networking is proscribed to a handful of nations.

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Regardless that Apple has eliminated a bunch of options to construct a stripped-down iPhone 16, this isn’t a deal-breaker for me. I’m going to purchase an iPhone 16e anyway—you possibly can’t beat the value, and I just like the roughly 15% longer battery life than different iPhone 16 fashions.